--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on…" description: "\"“Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on hips. ‘It certainly is a remarkable curiosity. A magnificent relic. But against what is already boiling across..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg" --- # Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on hips. ‘It… ![“Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on hips. ‘It certainly is a remarkable curiosity. A magnificent relic. But against what is already boiling across the plains? The legion of the dumb? The merchants and farmers and makers of trifles and filers of papers? The infinite tide of greedy little…” quote by Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg) > ““Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on hips. ‘It certainly is a remarkable curiosity. A magnificent relic. But against what is already boiling across the plains? The legion of the dumb? The merchants and farmers and makers of trifles and filers of papers? The infinite tide of greedy little people?’ He waved his hat towards the dragon. ‘Such things as this are worthless as a cow against a swarm of ants. There will be no place in the world to come for the magical, the mysterious, the strange. They will come to your sacred places and build . . . tailors’ shops. And dry-goods emporia. And lawyers’ offices. They will make of them bland copies of everywhere else.’ The old mercenary scratched thoughtfully at his rashy neck. ‘You can wish it were not so. I wish it were not so. But it is so. I tire of lost causes. The time of men like me is passing. The time of men like you?’ He wiped a little blood from under his fingernails. ‘So long passed it might as well have never been.”” [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Commercialization erodes wonder, turning magical places into mundane, profit‑driven replicas. **In simple terms:** Progress can strip uniqueness. Key Takeaway Preserve wonder against homogenization. Themes progress commercialization loss of wonder Mood cautious critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - urban development - tourism - heritage preservation Key Concepts cultural erosion capitalism Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance development and cultural preservation? - What role does art play in resisting homogenization? A Different Perspective Economic growth can also bring benefits to communities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dragon Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragon-hands-2633937/) [Dragon Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragon-things-2633934/) [Dumb Merchants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb-merchants-2633933/) [Hat Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hat-dragon-2633936/) [Legion Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legion-dumb-2633935/) [Little people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“We haven't stopped running, but we are getting slower. We have little people running with us now. We have passed others. Our own people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/we-haven-t-stopped-running-but-we-are-getting-slower-we-have-little/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [I've often stood silent at a party for hours listening to my movie idols turn into dull and little people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-ve-often-stood-silent-at-a-party-for-hours-listening-to-my-movie/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“To rich people it must seem that the ordinary little people..experience human emotions with less intensity and greater indifference...The fact that we might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-rich-people-it-must-seem-that-the-ordinary-little-people/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Let's put the jam on the lower shelf so the little people can reach it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-yarborough/let-s-put-the-jam-on-the-lower-shelf-so-the-little-people-can-reach-it/) [Ralph Yarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-yarborough/) > [“Everything has a purpose on our earth which reflects within us our own self-worth. Chepi, See the Little People…An Enchanting Adventure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-disano-davenport/everything-has-a-purpose-on-our-earth-which-reflects-within-us-our/) [Chris DiSano Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-disano-davenport/) > [We need to create a new paradigm of development and happiness that can generate a three-dimensional peace – peace with ourselves, peace with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-fazal/we-need-to-create-a-new-paradigm-of-development-and-happiness-that/) [Anwar Fazal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-fazal/) > [I feel at times that I'm making up these little people and I've lost my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-chute/i-feel-at-times-that-i-m-making-up-these-little-people-and-i-ve-lost/) [Carolyn Chute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-chute/) > [With 'Black and White 2,' I want to put it in a setting where you're actually using the creature. I want the little people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/with-black-and-white-2-i-want-to-put-it-in-a-setting-where-you-re/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [Pure, hard-core liberals believe in a superior race. They think they're it. They believe they're more intelligent than the general run of mankind, better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/pure-hard-core-liberals-believe-in-a-superior-race-they-think-they-re/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The eye and brain are not like a fax machine, nor are there little people looking at the images coming in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torsten-wiesel/the-eye-and-brain-are-not-like-a-fax-machine-nor-are-there-little/) [Torsten Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torsten-wiesel/) > [“The powerful can do as they please, while the little people must do what will please them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-summers/the-powerful-can-do-as-they-please-while-the-little-people-must-do/) [M.J. Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-summers/) > [“Imagine, Bishop, that you have a beloved cat, but that your cat is not with you. If you close your eyes and further imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/imagine-bishop-that-you-have-a-beloved-cat-but-that-your-cat-is-not/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) > [Being happy with the little that you have. There are people who have nothing who can put on a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/being-happy-with-the-little-that-you-have-there-are-people-who-have/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Yes, we're still five little people with a noisy attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/yes-we-re-still-five-little-people-with-a-noisy-attitude/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [The problem with my packed lunches though is everybody is very, very outspoken about what they want, so it becomes...I often say, Im not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/the-problem-with-my-packed-lunches-though-is-everybody-is-very-very/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) ## More by Joe Abercrombie > [“She shrugged. “I fell. I’m a clumsy fool.” “I know how you feel. I’m such a fool I knocked half my teeth out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/she-shrugged-i-fell-i-m-a-clumsy-fool-i-know-how-you-feel-i-m-such-a/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Things aren't what they used to be' is the rallying cry of small minds. When men say things used to be better, they invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/things-aren-t-what-they-used-to-be-is-the-rallying-cry-of-small-minds/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Mercy and weakness are the same thing in war, and there's no prize for nice behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/mercy-and-weakness-are-the-same-thing-in-war-and-there-s-no-prize-for/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“The lowly have small ambitions, and are satisfied with small indulgences. They need not get fair treatment. They need only think that they do... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-lowly-have-small-ambitions-and-are-satisfied-with-small/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“What do the dice say?" Dice say nothing. They are dice." Why roll'em, then?" They are dice. What else would I do with them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/what-do-the-dice-say-dice-say-nothing-they-are-dice-why-roll-em-then/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“You have to realistic about these things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/you-have-to-realistic-about-these-things/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/that-was-the-difference-between-a-hero-and-a-villain-a-soldier-and-a/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Nostalgia was becoming a favoured hobby of his. Strange, how the best moments of our lives we scarcely notice except in looking back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/nostalgia-was-becoming-a-favoured-hobby-of-his-strange-how-the-best/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“The only difference between war and murder is the number of dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-only-difference-between-war-and-murder-is-the-number-of-dead/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Names turned over by time, like the plough turning the soil. Bringing up the new while the old were buried in the mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/names-turned-over-by-time-like-the-plough-turning-the-soil-bringing/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Knives,’ muttered Calder, ‘and threats, and bribes, and war?’ Bayaz’ eyes shone with the lamplight. ‘Yes?’ ‘What kind of a fucking wizard are you?’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/knives-muttered-calder-and-threats-and-bribes-and-war-bayaz-eyes/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Straining and straining, getting nowhere, but unable to stop pushing in case the rock should fall and crush him. Meanwhile, arrogant bastards who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/straining-and-straining-getting-nowhere-but-unable-to-stop-pushing-in/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Yarvi: 'If we had known the hardship of it, we might have chosen another.' Shidwala: 'So it is with many choices.' Yarvi: 'All we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/yarvi-if-we-had-known-the-hardship-of-it-we-might-have-chosen-another/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity . . .’ He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/sometimes-men-change-for-the-better-sometimes-men-change-for-the/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“A bitter ending' said Yarvi. 'Many sweet stories have them', said Jaud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/a-bitter-ending-said-yarvi-many-sweet-stories-have-them-said-jaud/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) [Explore all 364 Joe Abercrombie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) ## More Little people quotes > [“We haven't stopped running, but we are getting slower. We have little people running with us now. We have passed others. Our own people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/we-haven-t-stopped-running-but-we-are-getting-slower-we-have-little/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [Yes, we're still five little people with a noisy attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/yes-we-re-still-five-little-people-with-a-noisy-attitude/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [Being happy with the little that you have. There are people who have nothing who can put on a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/being-happy-with-the-little-that-you-have-there-are-people-who-have/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [“Imagine, Bishop, that you have a beloved cat, but that your cat is not with you. If you close your eyes and further imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/imagine-bishop-that-you-have-a-beloved-cat-but-that-your-cat-is-not/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) > [“The powerful can do as they please, while the little people must do what will please them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-summers/the-powerful-can-do-as-they-please-while-the-little-people-must-do/) [M.J. Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-summers/) > [The eye and brain are not like a fax machine, nor are there little people looking at the images coming in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torsten-wiesel/the-eye-and-brain-are-not-like-a-fax-machine-nor-are-there-little/) [Torsten Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torsten-wiesel/) > [Pure, hard-core liberals believe in a superior race. They think they're it. They believe they're more intelligent than the general run of mankind, better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/pure-hard-core-liberals-believe-in-a-superior-race-they-think-they-re/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [With 'Black and White 2,' I want to put it in a setting where you're actually using the creature. I want the little people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/with-black-and-white-2-i-want-to-put-it-in-a-setting-where-you-re/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [I feel at times that I'm making up these little people and I've lost my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-chute/i-feel-at-times-that-i-m-making-up-these-little-people-and-i-ve-lost/) [Carolyn Chute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-chute/) > [We need to create a new paradigm of development and happiness that can generate a three-dimensional peace – peace with ourselves, peace with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-fazal/we-need-to-create-a-new-paradigm-of-development-and-happiness-that/) [Anwar Fazal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-fazal/) > [“Everything has a purpose on our earth which reflects within us our own self-worth. Chepi, See the Little People…An Enchanting Adventure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-disano-davenport/everything-has-a-purpose-on-our-earth-which-reflects-within-us-our/) [Chris DiSano Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-disano-davenport/) > [Let's put the jam on the lower shelf so the little people can reach it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-yarborough/let-s-put-the-jam-on-the-lower-shelf-so-the-little-people-can-reach-it/) [Ralph Yarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-yarborough/) > [“To rich people it must seem that the ordinary little people..experience human emotions with less intensity and greater indifference...The fact that we might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-rich-people-it-must-seem-that-the-ordinary-little-people/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I've often stood silent at a party for hours listening to my movie idols turn into dull and little people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-ve-often-stood-silent-at-a-party-for-hours-listening-to-my-movie/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [The problem with my packed lunches though is everybody is very, very outspoken about what they want, so it becomes...I often say, Im not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/the-problem-with-my-packed-lunches-though-is-everybody-is-very-very/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) [Browse all 253 Little people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on hips. ‘It certainly is a remarkable curiosity. A magnificent relic. But against what is already boiling across the plains? The legion of the dumb? The merchants and farmers and makers of trifles and filers of papers? The infinite tide of greedy little people?’ He waved his hat towards the dragon. ‘Such things as this are worthless as a cow against a swarm of ants. There will be no place in the world to come for the magical, the mysterious, the strange. They will come to your sacred places and build . . . tailors’ shops. And dry-goods emporia. And lawyers’ offices. They will make of them bland copies of everywhere else.’ The old mercenary scratched thoughtfully at his rashy neck. ‘You can wish it were not so. I wish it were not so. But it is so. I tire of lost causes. The time of men like me is passing. The time of men like you?’ He wiped a little blood from under his fingernails. ‘So long passed it might as well have never been.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Abercrombie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-hips-it-certainly-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Little people" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-hips-it-certainly-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82e/joe-abercrombie-791_little-people_cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-h_1877929.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cosca smiled up at the dragon, hands on hips. ‘It certainly is a remarkable curiosity. A magnificent relic…” — Joe Abercrombie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joe Abercrombie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Cosca smiled up at the dragon,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-hips-it-certainly-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/cosca-smiled-up-at-the-dragon-hands-on-hips-it-certainly-is-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```